"UKIP will have a great deal of appeal until we're out of the EU", says party leadership candidate Elizabeth Jones

UKIP's Elizabeth Jones told talkRADIO her application to become leader of the party "went without a hitch" on the day that red-hot favourite Steven Woolfe was excluded from the race after he submitted his application late.

The party's national executive committee voted against Woolfe running, leading to the resignation of three NEC members.

Woolfe blamed his 17-minute late application on technical issues with the website, but Jones told Sam Delaney: "I went through the leadership website application and it took me about half an hour, went without a hitch."

The UKIP MEP appeared to suggest that the party will become less relevant once Britain leaves the EU.

"Until we're out of the [EU] system, UKIP will have a great deal of appeal to the public," she said.

"We have a future because we are going to step into the shoes of the old Labour party.

"Internally, I want the party to undergo a significant amount of democratic reform.